“Forty-eight lobbyists, all working for the CSA, and all hitting the Federal Government for money and influence”…
The CSA is constantly lobbying government for more of your money. In the last twelve months, the CSA arranged twenty-eight meetings with government officials to request funding. And that’s just the Federal Government, the CSA is also active provincially and municipally.
Among the highlights, the CSA asked the Federal Government for “funding from Health Canada for the Product Safety Project Committee.” But this committee is run by volunteers, they are unpaid. So the CSA wants money to pay for unpaid volunteers. They also asked for funding to “update” the NGV codes (B108 and B109 specifically). But CSA sells these codes for $190 each, so why is government expected to pay CSA’s product development costs? Then the CSA asked for “funding […] for development of storm water training modules.” Again, the government is expected to pay CSA to develop a training program that CSA would then sell commercially.
The CSA has registered forty-three lobbyists with the Federal Government. Beyond this, the CSA has contracted Global Public Affairs to lobby government on their behalf. Global Public Affairs has subsequently registered five additional lobbyists on behalf of the CSA.
Until reading it on this site, I was always under the impression the CSA was a federal body. I has no idea it was a ‘non-profit’, ‘volunteer’ organization. It sounds like a minor, become major fiefdom for those in the hierarchy of the regulation business. In other words a shakedown racket similar to the TSSA. The TSSA has its useless fees and inspections, causing expense and waste of time without benefit to its conscripted membership. Instead of self-regulating I would call it self-serving of the leadership and not the membership. What these bodies both need it a thorough audit plus a Parliamentary review….hopefully without a favourable bias…hopefully. BTW I generally hate parliamentary reviews and see them as a waste of time and money.
The CSA is the perfect poster-child for out-of-control bureaucracies.
Starting with a sensible mandate(I cannot imagine the flood of dangerous Chinese sh*t products we would have without many of their standards)the insatiable need to grow and increase powers eventually took over.
What I want to know is what the conservatives are going to do about these out-of-control agencies. They currently have a solid majority, there are no more excuses for inaction.
Bloated governments are choking us to death. If the conservatives can’t turn things around and save us from this slow death….really….what hope is there?
I don’t see the role of the CSA.. They are not necessary in a society that has “trained” professionals. For example: The NEC (National Electrical Code) is a standard for electricians & technicians, but an EE is not compelled to follow dogma and can & will design systems using equal & more efficient technology. The EE takes responsibility for consumer safety.
Does following the CSA codes negate the need for “errors & omission” Insurance.
Is Canada setting up non-professional codes that regulate the conduct of all workers?
Having any law which one cannot read without paying first is so repugnant, I can’t believe that the current government allows this to go on. I do my own electrical wiring and utilize what I consider to be safe practices. Under no circumstances would I pay an organization to find out if what I’m doing violates a law. Such a law is, for all practical purposes, secret and I refuse to obey secret laws. That such a scam has been going on for this long boggles the imagination and the best thing that could happen is for the CSA to be totally disbanded and the criminals in charge given long, secret, sentences in various prisons. Of course, should they pay several million dollars to the government, they would be allowed to learn the duration of time they would have to spend in jail for running such a criminal organization.
Well, as a welding Inspector, the CSA has made a couple of codes…W47.1 Certification of companies for structural welding of steel. Not a bad code – fairly easy to read and understand.
Where they went completely apeshit is in W59..welded steel construction. I have never seen so many alleys and backdoor and if then statements and goto statements to drive one bananas.
Not for profit – Bullshit. Check out what they charge for codes…big time coin.
CWB is no different – “not for profit” but I guarantee you anyone that tries to get certified on their first time with them as an All position welder..will in fact fail. at $150.00 per test coupon (4 required), well you all can do the math.
AWS is no different – ASME code prices that would make you think you had just bought Auto Cad 3D as opposed to 400 pages of regulatory boredom.
Yes, there is a reason for codes and it all revolves around safety…but that should come at a much lower price point that what it does.
Good example is ASMe Sect IX $520 USD. thats all of 250 pages plus 150 pages of addenda and appendices.
There are 9 sections of this code……..do the math.
RIP OFF.